WATCH: Demarcus Jones Talks Making the Most of His Final Year and Being a Leader (with transcript)

Redshirt Senior Running Back Demarcus Jones met with the media after practice yesterday. He broke down what it means to stay healthy in his final season, what this school means to him and what it’s like to be a leader to the younger Running Backs.

You can watch the video ABOVE, and read the transcript BELOW.

You’ve had injuries on and off virtually your whole career. What’s it been like to stay relatively healthy this season and get to make some plays?

It’s just a blessing. You never know when you can go down.

I’m just thankful to be back out there with my guys in my last year. Just thankful to get the opportunity.

Walk us through that spin move on Saturday.

It just happened.

We practice things like that every day, but when it happens, it happens. It’s almost second nature.

Doeren mentioned when y’all were looking at some of that game tape, looking at that spin move, a lot of the guys were really cheering, ‘hey, look at Demarcus.’ What does it mean to have that level of camaraderie in this locker room, at this point in the season, where guys are really pulling for each other like that?

We actually feed off of each other. I feed off of other guys making plays. We’re happy to see each other be successful. We’re trying to get in a groove these last few games.

You’ve played a bunch of different roles this Fall, whether it’s blocking or handoffs in the backfield, just what have you enjoyed about this season?

Just mainly just making it this far, like she said. I had injuries last year, but really, I’m just thankful, just to be able to do what I can do. I do whatever they ask of me. It doesn’t matter what it is. If they ask me to go play linebacker for a snap, I’ll go do my best.

What is it like to have two members of your family here?

It’s phenomenal, just being able to have blood here, just being able to be around them every day, people I grew up with.

How has Isiah kind of made things a little different, having a younger teammate who’s also a relative?

So actually, when we were younger, he hung around me and another older cousin of his. So it’s almost like having my little brother here. I try to do better, try to have a great attitude every day, just show him what it’s like to finally get old.

But I also encourage him to stay as young as possible.

Last year you guys came out on of the open date, ran the table, won five in a row. Does that give the returning players confidence that you can match that and do it again?

It definitely does.

We’ve  got to make sure that we take it day-by-day, not get ahead of ourselves, because that was last year. Just come out with the same mentality that we do every game, and just take it day-by-day.

You’ve been here for a long time. What has this program meant to you just as a human being?

It means a lot. I walked on here. I started out as a walk-on, earned a scholarship. So it’s just a blessing to be able to play in my hometown from Wendell, not too far from here, just a country boy.

So just being around here at a blue-collar school, it’s just a blessing.

How much do you embrace the mentorship role? I mean, it seems like every time you talk to a young running back, they throw out the name  Demarcus Jones as a big influence, not just on the field, but adjusting to college life, playing college ball. What does that mean to you?

To finally be in it, it’s crazy.

I used to look at the older guys and be like, ‘I’ll never be that old.’ I try to be the same person every day, try to make them laugh, and let them know that it’s still a game that we play at a young age, just enjoy it. There’s going to be ups and downs, so just enjoy it all, embrace the journey.

Thoughts on Duke

They show a lot of different looks, blitz-wise. So we gotta be on our P’s and Q’s. They force a lot of turnovers.

We gotta make sure we protect the ball and just attack head-on.

You had rivalry games, I’m sure, between Wake Forest, Heritage and Roseville in high school. What’s in the water in that area of the state? And do you have a favorite memory from that rivalry?

Really, I don’t know. I personally think North Carolina football is the best football in the country. We’re all friends outside of it. When we play, it’s almost like it looks like bad blood, but at the end of the day, we still talk to each other outside of it.

We go out there and just honestly give our best shot.

Y’all could earn bowl eligibility this week. Is that something you’re actively thinking about or just let’s get out of this one with the win?

Yeah, we’re trying to take it day by day.

Of course, that’s in the back of our mind. But we also want to just win out and not focus on the future.